World renowned social reformer Frances E. Willard (1839-1898) lived in Evanston all her adult life. Through her efforts, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union became the largest women’s organization in the U.S. before 1900, and mobilized countless women to take on a wider role in the world through temperance activism. Her “Do Everything” reform agenda included …
Alice Cushing Donaldson Riley (1864-1953) was an author and playwright who lived in Evanston from 1898 until 1931. She wrote children’s poetry and stories, and several one-act plays. Her best known work is “Slumber Boat,” a familiar children’s lullaby which she co-wrote with Dorothy Gaynor. Her home at 1822 Sheridan Road (now demolished) was the …
Dr. Isabella Garnett (1872-1948) was born in 1872 to one of Evanston’s earliest African-American families. One of the first African-American female physicians in the state of Illinois, Garnett received her medical degree in 1901 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago. She returned to Evanston in 1904. Recognizing that hospital care for African-Americans …
You might be wondering about our new heading — who the women are and where we got the title “Lifting as We Climb.” Our next few posts will tell you more about the women pictured, but first we’d like to tell you about the title. “Lifting as We Climb” is the title of our new …
There’s a new exhibit that focuses on Frances Willard open at Northwestern University Library from now through March 18. Arguably one of the most famous and influential Evanstonians in the 19th century, Willard left her mark on this community and the world. Here’s the link for more information: http://www.library.northwestern.edu/news/archives/003837.html
We are now entering our third year of work on the Evanston Women’s History Project and are set to go public with the results of all our research. Spring 2010 will find us updating this web site to include a lot more information about the project and the women and women’s organizations we’ve learned so …
The Evanston Women’s History Project offices are moving to the Evanston History Center (EHC). No doubt the move will help facilitate research as many of the Project’s research subjects have archival and/or clipping files at the EHC.
Although the cold seems to have slowed most people down these past few weeks, momentum at the EWHP has never been higher. In addition to organizing all that valuable information that we’ve been gathering for over year now, our initial survey of historic properties associated with Evanston women of note is finishing up AND we …
The Evanston Public Library is digitizing the 1917 Plan of Evanston as part of its Digital Past Local History collection. The Plan of Evanston was commissioned in 1916 by the Evanston Small Parks and Playgrounds Association, some of whose officers and directors were notable Evanston women. Here are a few pages from the digitized Plan …
Miss Ida Faye Wright served as Chief Librarian of the Evanston Public Library from January 1920 until November 1, 1944. The Evanston City Council adopted a resolution entitled “Resolution Upon the Occasion of the Retirement of Miss Ida Faye Wright” on October 2, 1944. Miss Wright moved to Evanston at the age of three and …
